Lifting Exercises Prestige List

1A: Bench Press, Deadlift, Barbell Squat, Overhead Press
(most prestigious and work multiple different types of muscles)
2A: Bulgarian Split Squats, Incline Dumbbell Curls, Incline Chest Press, Hack Squat, Pull Ups, Pendulum Squats, Any Rowing Variation, Rope Pushdowns, Dips, Shoulder Press
(very prestigious and will give you optimal gains)
2B: Pec Flys, Hammer Curls, Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, Lat Pulldowns, Rear Delt Flys, Skull Crushers, Hip Thrusts
(solid exercises but there is better exercises)
3: Preacher Curls, Any Form of Shrugs, Close Grip Bench Press, Front Raises, Kickbacks, Face Pulls
(super mid exercises, way better variations for growth)
4: Any AB machine, hip abduction, hip adduction, Arnold press, assisted dips, assisted pullups
(least prestigious exercies and if you don’t lateral to other exercises your not going to grow).

51 Comments
 
Funniest

JohnCBelfort

Incline bench is far more prestigious than normal bench. Everyone knows it builds a better chest

better for aesthetics since it works the upper chest. but the first question someone asks you about lifting is how much you bench. so flat bench press remains superior

 

Finance bros will need something to keep them looking lean this upcoming rooftop szn despite maxing out their seamless allowance daily. Hands down the most prestigious exercise for this is hitting battle ropes. Not only does it deliver an ungodly pump from beating the ground like the hulk on a rampage, it’s an upper body dominated cardio workout that will shred the fat and sculpt you into a Roman statue. To top it off, if your gym even has battle ropes available then you are clearly working out in an upper decile prestige of gyms… and that, my friend, is prestigious.

 

Battle ropes makes you feel like the Hulk but will not make you look like the Hulk. Also, if staying lean is the goal, just eat in a calorie deficit and if your too lazy just take sarms or anavar

 

Deadlift is not prestigious at all. Useless for aesthetics and only done by meatheads chasing PRs who have nothing else in life to work towards. Injury risk adjusted return is abysmal. Deadlifting nowadays would be like taking a JPM offer over PJT Rx.

Also swap all the barbell variants for dumbbells as more optimal for hypertrophy (apart from squats)

 

Pull ups deserve 1A considering that the majority can't even do 5.

Bulgarian Split Squats 3 or 4, RDL would be 2A.

Bench Press 2A, too common and grotesque to be 1A

Pendulum squats = machine assistance = easily tier 4, not old school enough to be tier 3.

DIPS 1A (big L putting it on 2 tier)

FARMER WALKS -  2

NECK EXTENSIONS - 2

Tier 4 = gay, delete it, not prestigious enough to be on the list.

incentives trumph ethics
 

ConfusedGuru

Real talk, is it dangerous to bench press without a spotter? Assuming one isn't going for a PR or anything crazy 

No just don’t use clips to roll the plates of you

 

Associate 3 in IB - Gen

Missing front squat from tier 1a

Why would you do front squats when barbell back squats offer better stability and target the same muscles.

 

u7o2q0qla4

Unless you can do true 10 wide grip pull ups unassisted, you should be doing assisted pull ups 

I guess but have to incorporate progressive overload. I do weighted pullups to still have the ability to do 20+ body weight pullups while bulking.

RHO
 

Agree. I recently stripped away the weight from my pullups and returned to weightless, but now I do all pullups to the clavicle. Start from square one. Once I get strong enough to do weighted pullups to the clavicle, I'll strip the weight off again and return to weightless, but do pullups to the sternum. Rinse and repeat

 

margin_calls

ab machines work like a beauty

don’t even need ab machines. so many other movements work your abs like barbell squats. abs are made in the kitchen.

 

Love his IG, never gets old

"If you don't have any enemies in life you have never stood up for anything" - Winston Churchill | "It's a testament to the sheer belligerence of the profession that people would rather argue about the 'risk-adjusted returns' of using inferior tooth cleaning methods." - kellycriterion
 

Most prestigious exercise is cleaning the gym

have you seen that guy Anatoly? thats all he does and he outlifts all the wannabe chads in those flashy gyms

I like it when Anatoly tries to add weight to the already heavy weight and the person is like "no no you can't do that" - Anatoly says "it's ok this is my warmup" lolol

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Shrugs getting wildly disrespected here.  

I come from down in the valley, where mister when you're young, they bring you up to do like your daddy done
 

Was literally just thinking the same, how are you gonna fill out those button down shirts w/o Death Star delts? 

"If you don't have any enemies in life you have never stood up for anything" - Winston Churchill | "It's a testament to the sheer belligerence of the profession that people would rather argue about the 'risk-adjusted returns' of using inferior tooth cleaning methods." - kellycriterion
 

Neque blanditiis minima sequi blanditiis cum aut. Vero error et ut modi sunt qui. Totam expedita accusantium asperiores sint iste maiores tempore. Inventore eum voluptatem cupiditate rerum.

Non et laudantium dolor eveniet commodi. Ut voluptatem similique omnis perferendis est est quia. Sunt odio perspiciatis inventore sit nulla iste necessitatibus.

Quis voluptatem deleniti quasi consequatur possimus veniam. Qui enim repellat fugiat hic. Ducimus ratione aut sunt quod perferendis. Laboriosam nesciunt illo eum quia omnis quas rerum. Aliquam veritatis repellendus aperiam natus aut eos sed aut.

Praesentium non est in ut eum molestiae blanditiis culpa. Eos et earum aut. Accusantium neque officia minima dolorum.

 

Dolores possimus placeat atque eaque natus. Sunt reprehenderit vero et sit consequatur architecto amet labore. Aut est ad occaecati perferendis. Totam ab distinctio omnis corrupti qui atque. Doloremque quos similique labore quas aut fugit non.

Dicta neque impedit accusantium sapiente. Voluptatem perferendis exercitationem voluptas neque aut praesentium corrupti ut. Est quod expedita totam et. Ea incidunt porro quam suscipit voluptatem ut. Qui hic repudiandae sunt voluptatem ab quia at minima. Iusto laborum dolorum sint sit aliquid.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”